Ghost Smashers (IDW)
Not to be confused with the Ghost Smashers script The Ghost Smashers Ron Alexander (2012). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #13" (2012) (Comic p.19). Ron says: "I'm Ron Alexander and we are the Ghost Smashers." are a group of paranormal eliminators founded by Ron Alexander. In direct competition with the Ghostbusters, they offered obliteration of ghosts rather than storage as a solution. History Ron Alexander recruited Dani Shpak to secure funding because she was a locally famous for being a nationally ranked archer. TomWaltz Tweet 5/24/18Virtual Trading Card reads: "DANI SHPAK was initially recruited as a member of the GHOST SMASHERS by RON ALEXANDER because he figured her local notoriety as nationally ranked archer (despite never making the Olympics due to personality conflicts) might help him secure funding for his operations. He was not wrong." While he was putting together an ad campaign, Ron heard about Lou Kamaka and an incident that took place years ago involving Psychomagnotheric Slime and her punching a ghost. He met with Lou as potential model for the ads but wound up hiring her instead. TomWaltz Tweet 5/29/18Virtual Trading Card reads: "LOU KAMAKA came to New York from the state of Hawaii, and found occasional work modeling. On one particular shoot, the photographer went off on a rant near a cache of mood slime and caused a spectral event. Lou punched the ghost, and that's the kind of thing people remember. Years later, when RON ALEXANDER was looking to put together an ad campaign for his GHOST SMASHERS, he was told about Lou. He met with her as a potential model for the ads and wound up hiring her instead." During a special performance of "Don Giovanni," for charity fundraising, at the Metropolitan Opera House, the Phantom of the Opera manifested and the Ghost Smashers made their premature debut to the public. They atomized the Phantom with their equipment and amazed the crowd. They waited up and introduced themselves to Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler before hitting the road. As the weeks passed, the Ghost Smashers stole the limelight from the Ghostbusters more and more. Clients began to hire the Smashers over the Ghostbusters. And because they provided their services in an often flamboyant manner, the Smashers attracted good publicity - which the Mayor was rather fond of. Egon determined the Smashers' technology was only temporarily atomizing ghosts and they would reconstitute themselves. To make matters worse, the Smashers had no contract with New York City. Walter Peck and the Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission had no authority over them. If Peck acted without reasonable cause, the Smashers could simply insist the Ghostbusters were trying to sabotage the competition. And proof was hard to come by without engaging in corporate espionage. In the fall, the Ghost Smashers took on a pro bono case in Central Park. To their surprise, the Smashers failed to atomize the Goast. Luckily, Peter Venkman and Ray were in the vicinity and trapped the entity. In November, the Ghost Smashers were forced to work with the Ghostbusters in neutralizing the threat of the Megaspook they helped create by atomizing ghosts for months. Once the threat was over, Peck made it known the Ghost Smashers would be out of business and charged with damages done should anything catastrophic happen. After the Megaspook was dispersed, Ron was arrested and the Ghost Smashers were disbanded. The legislature passed an ordinance limiting future paranormal start ups as direct result of the Ghost Smashers. Ms. Stone (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1" (2013) (Comic p.13). Stone says: "Of course, they're why the ordinance limiting future paranormal start ups was put in place." However, Peck had not forgotten the outstanding Q-rating they received from the public and in the following year PCOC soon had their own female team of paranormal investigators to manage, one formed by Janine Melnitz after the original Ghostbusters were kidnapped by four demons. Walter Peck (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1" (2013) (Comic p.13). Peck says: "Correct. But their Q-rating was through the roof - the public loved the imagery of women busting ghosts." A couple weeks into the Tiamat incident, a sudden surge in P.K.E. activity originating from Hart Island prompted Ray Stantz to request extra help. At Ron's suggestion, the other three former Ghost Smashers were brought in. They accepted the offer and were equipped with new charcoal jumpsuits, with their insignia's logo and colors incorporated into the patches, and Proton Packs. Ultimately, all four members remained connected to the Ghostbusters franchise. Jenny became a liaison between PCOC and the Ghostbusters while Ron, Dani, and Lou became part of the Chicago Ghostbusters. Known Members *Jenny Moran *Dani Shpak *Lou Kamaka Former Members *Ron Alexander **Founder Known Equipment *Ron's Proton Pack *Ghostmobile *Proton Pack *Particle Thrower Trivia *The phone number for the Ghost Smashers is 1-800-BOO-BUST. **The 1-800-BOO-BUST phone number was from the roof top display of the unused Ecto-cab concept art for Ghostbusters II. Proton Charging "Previously unseen Ecto-1a concept art found!" 7/23/09 *The business slogan, seen on the rear of the Ghostmobile, is "Service is Job One." *The business address is 7 S. Less Street, Manhattan, New York. Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #14 PCOC Page *On the Subscription Cover of Ghostbusters 101 #5, Lou, Dani, and Jenny appears below Rookie and Ron in their Ghost Smashers suits. *On page 11 of Ghostbusters Annual 2018, Ron's badge bears the logo of his defunct Ghost Smashers. *On page 40 of Annual 2018, in panel 2, the Ghost Smashers' logo appears on Ron's hat. *The Ghost Smashers is mentioned on the 15th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on April 10, 2018, which featured the Chicago Ghostbusters. TomWaltz Tweet 4/10/18 *The Ghost Smashers are mentioned in Jenny Moran's bio on the 20th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on April 26, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 4/26/18 *The Ghost Smashers are mentioned in Dani's bio on the 28th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 24, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/24/18 *The Ghost Smashers are mentioned in Lou's bio on the 29th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 29, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/29/18 *The Ghost Smashers are mentioned in Rookie's bio in the 30th Crossing Over Virtual Trading Card, released on May 31, 2018. TomWaltz Tweet 5/31/18 *On Cover B of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #3, Spectral Ron has on the Ghost Smashers uniform on. *Melanie has the Proton Pistol in the lower right side of Cover B of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #6. Appearances IDW Comics *Ongoing Series **Volume 1 ***Ghostbusters Issue #13 ***Ghostbusters Issue #14 ***Ghostbusters Issue #15 **Volume 2 ***Ghostbusters Issue #1 ****Mentioned by Walter Peck, Page 13 Walter Peck (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1" (2013) (Comic p.13). Peck says: "You remember the Ghost Smashers?" ***Ghostbusters Issue #2 ****Alluded to by Janine Melnitz, Page 8 Janine Melnitz (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2" (2013) (Comic p.8). Janine says: "She's not one of the bimbos you're used to working with." ***Ghostbusters Issue #5 ****Referenced, Page 1 Text Box (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #5" (2013) (Comic p.1). Text Box says: "Former Ghost Smasher." ***Ghostbusters Issue #17 ***Ghostbusters Issue #18 ***Ghostbusters Issue #20 ****Regular Cover only **Volume 3 ***Ghostbusters International #1 ****Mentioned in Jenny's biography in Dramatis Personae Dramatis Personae (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #1" (2016) (Comic Dramatis Personae). Line reads: "Former member of Ron Alexander's rival Ghost Smashers firm." **Ghostbusters Annual 2017 ***Mentioned on Dramatis Personae Page in Ron, Lou, and Dani's biographies Dramatis Personae (2017). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Annual 2017" (2017) (Comic Dramatis Personae). Line reads: "A talented tinkerer who once stole the Ghostbusters tech and opened a short-lived rival firm called the Ghost Smashers...Originally one of Ron's Ghost Smashers... Former Ghost Smasher." **Ghostbusters 101 #2 ***Mentioned on Jenny's bio in Dramatis Personae **Ghostbusters Annual 2018 ***Mentioned in Ron's bio on Dramatis Personae page. Dramatis Personae page (2018). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Annual 2018" (2018) (Comic Dramatis Personae page). Narrator says: "Has worked with the Chicago branch of Ghostbusters since his competing firm -- the Ghost Smashers -- was shut down for causing a paranormal disaster in NYC." References Gallery Ghostmobile01.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Vol. 1 Issue #13 GhostSmashersIDW03.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Vol. 1 Issue #14 GhostSmashersIDW04.jpg|As seen in Vol. 1 Issue #14 GhostSmashersIDW02.jpg|As seen in Vol. 1 Issue #14 GhostSmashersIDW05.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #17 GhostSmashersIDW06.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #17 GhostSmashersIDW07.jpg|As seen in Volume 2 Issue #17 GhostSmashersIDWV2Issue20RegCover.jpg|Seen on Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #20 Regular Cover EgonEGBIDW101Issue5.jpg|As seen on Subscription Cover of Ghostbusters 101 #5 RonAlexander31.jpg|Logo seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2018 Category:IDW Characters